38 held over Chunnel sabotage

Thirty-eight illegal immigrants were arrested near the Channel Tunnel in Kent after the brakes on a freight train were deliberately sabotaged.

They were seen running off into the darkness last night along the railway line after the train's main brake pipe was cut, forcing it to come to a halt.

The driver of the Italianowned train, which became the responsibility of EWS - English Welsh Scottish Railways - on its arrival in England, radioed for police and stayed in his cab.

He told police he had seen a large number of people jumping from the train after the brake failure brought it to an automatic standstill, part of its safety procedures.

EWS officials and police officers suspect the immigrants knew of this procedure and cut the brake pipe, which runs under the train, once they knew they had reached England.

The train, which was carrying a mixed cargo and had begun its journey in Milan, Italy, had stopped in the Eurotunnel vehicle and passenger shuttle area.

Officers from Kent police and the British Transport Police were called to the area in Cheriton, near Folkestone, Kent, around 7pm. Within an hour officers had found 38 illegal immigrants - some of whom were walking along the tracks. It is not known whether any had managed to escape.